WASHINGTON — With the Christmas shopping season in high gear, retail advertising reflects a willingness — or unwillingness — to acknowledge Christmas and the birth of Christ.

For the 15th year of its “Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign,” Liberty Counsel continues to track retailers and provide a “Naughty and Nice List” of those that use the term “Christmas” in their stores and advertising. With offices in Florida, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, Liberty Counsel, and the Mississippi-based American Family Association, are two main watchdog organizations.

In a video message introducing this year’s list, Liberty Counsel’s Matthew Staver says “every year the battle intensifies,” and the word “Christmas” is increasingly being replaced by the word “holiday” in advertising.

Liberty ’s list helps shoppers know which retailers recognize Christmas and which censor it. As Staver suggests, “Print it out to help you decide which stores to patronize this year.”

Checking the List

Last year, Liberty Counsel’s “Nice” list expanded to 25, while the “Naughty” side showed a decline, with only eight entries. However, this year, the Liberty Counsel recorded 17 retailers that either censor Christmas or are very silent about it.

A small sample shows that some companies are “Nice” regulars, like AC Moore Arts & Crafts, Bronner’s CHRISTmas WONDERLAND, and Hobby Lobby stores. Others have become so, such as Dillard’s, Lowe’s and Staples.

In many cases, the list notes the retailer’s approach, such as if the use of “Christmas” equals or surpasses the use of “holiday.” The list also notes mentions of references to Jesus, Nativities and other biblical elements.

The “Naughty” list also has its regulars. Liberty Counsel includes Gap and its related brand, Old Navy, which is back on the “Naughty” list this year after moving to the “Nice” side in 2013 when store windows displayed “Merry Christmas” signs.

According to a statement on its website from an AFA official, “There are secular forces in our country that hate Christmas because the word itself is a reminder of Jesus Christ. They want to eradicate anything that reminds Americans of Christianity. That is why it is important to remind governments and companies to keep the word ‘Christmas’ alive. AFA wants to keep Christ in Christmas and Christmas in America.”

While the Liberty Counsel and AFA lists are similar in many ways, there are some notable differences.

Rehabilitating Scrooges

One way to help in the rehabilitation of the “Humbug” retailers is to check the lists regularly and shop accordingly. Both websites advise that, since lists can and do change. Liberty Counsel also wants to rehabilitate the “Naughty” retailers, asking shoppers to write, call or email “to encourage the company to increase their references to Christmas,” or “thank them for keeping Christ in the season … for providing Christ-centered Christmas products.” It also encourages people to contact retailers on the “Naughty” side and politely and kindly “encourage the organization to include Christ in their ‘Christmas’ seasonal marketing plan,” or “tell them that you will be shopping where Christmas is celebrated and named.”

While some retailers might take issue with “Christmas,” other Christmas battles and victories are taking place elsewhere.

A current case pits the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority against the Archdiocese of Washington, which filed a legal action in federal court challenging WMATA advertising guidelines after it rejected an ad promoting the archdiocese’s annual “Find the Perfect Gift” initiative (see related editorial).

“The rejected ad conveys a simple message of hope, and an invitation to participate in the Christmas season, for sides of buses. Yet citing its guidelines, WMATA’s legal counsel said the ad ‘depicts a religious scene and thus seeks to promote religion,’” explained the archdiocese’s secretary for communications, Ed McFadden.

Yet at the same time, the Catholic League reported secular New York City approved a permit for the league to put up a life-size Nativity scene in Central Park on public property.

“If anything, our crèche is much more of a ‘religious scene’ than the one sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington,” the league’s president, Bill Donohue, stated in a release, “yet it has never been challenged as unconstitutional, not even by the ACLU.”

Amid the “Christmas wars,” Liberty Counsel’s Staver advises all to remember the “reason for the season,” noting that Christmas is “more than just getting together with family and friends and sharing presents. It’s a reminder of God’s presence among us.”

” several stores listed on the “Nice” side of the ledger on both lists that are active supporters of all things LGBT”

I didn’t realize that denying religious freedom to gays was anti-Christmas.

Posted by Hanson on Wednesday, Dec, 13, 2017 7:23 AM (EST):

Is whether someone says “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” really a problem? I’ve been seeing Christmas trees and hearing Christmas carols for over three weeks now. Is it a sin for me to say “Happy Hanukah” since it’s a different religion? Can I say “Seasons Greetings” to Buddhists?

Posted by cthlc12345 on Tuesday, Dec, 12, 2017 4:39 PM (EST):

In addition to courageous Hobby Lobby, I’d like to mention that the Hallmark Channel (“nice” list) has many safe, interesting movies that the whole family can enjoy.

Posted by remy on Monday, Dec, 11, 2017 6:43 PM (EST):

How about getting really radically Christian and separating consumerism from the celebration of Christmas entirely? Then you don’t have to worry about who’s naughty or nice.

I also think that anyone who wants to remove Christ and Christmas from the public square should avoid any appearance of hypocrisy and either volunteer to work on Dec 25th and/or refuse to accept pay from their employer for a Christmas holiday.

Posted by Kurt on Monday, Dec, 11, 2017 3:41 PM (EST):

@Tom M—we should be saying that to our fellow Latin rite Catholics. To Catholics of the Eastern Church, a blessed St. Nicholas Day and Nativity—now or later depending if they are on the Julian or Gregorian calendar. (as with our Orthodox brothers and sisters). To Other Christians, a Merry Christmas. To other religions, a greeting on their holidays.

This does not seem too complicated, but for a simple mind like Trump’s I guess it is too taxing.

Posted by Tom M on Monday, Dec, 11, 2017 12:40 PM (EST):

@ EH
You’re absolutely correct….. We should be saying “Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and Merry Christmas”

Posted by EH on Saturday, Dec, 9, 2017 7:15 PM (EST):

Seriously, folks. There are more holidays than Christmas in December. So arrogant. Happy Holidays.

Posted by Will on Friday, Dec, 8, 2017 4:24 PM (EST):

So you put up Merry Christmas signs and you are good. If your signs do not say that you are bad. It does not matter if you are open on Sundays or how you treat your employees?

Posted by Kurt on Friday, Dec, 8, 2017 3:41 PM (EST):

Hobby Lobby that is pro-contraception and supports abortion in China?

Posted by Leah Joy on Friday, Dec, 8, 2017 2:47 PM (EST):

Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors, and let’s do just that as we shop this season: smile at the stressed clerk, wait in line with patience and good humor, speak kindly to store employees and other shoppers. Let’s not add to headaches of the people who have to deal with the public by criticizing them if they say “Happy Holidays.” Jesus told us to love our neighbors—he didn’t say “wage a war about how businesses refer to the celebration of my birth.” Have some mercy on your fellow man.

Posted by cthlc12345 on Friday, Dec, 8, 2017 10:03 AM (EST):

I’d also like to add that Hobby Lobby’s courageous pro-Christian fight against the HHS mandate makes Hobby Lobby a deserving place for us to shop at.

Posted by Kurt on Thursday, Dec, 7, 2017 6:43 AM (EST):

These evangelical Protestant organizations don’t understand the message of Jesus Christ. Using Christ as an advertising and marketing ploy is no virtue. Christ chased the moneychangers from the Temple. He didn’t ask that they have “ten percent off” holiday specials in the Temple.

Posted by Tom M on Wednesday, Dec, 6, 2017 4:53 PM (EST):

This article and these two lists are a great place to START when you pull out your Christmas gift list…..but don’t rely completely on either of these lists.
First, there is some disagreement between the two lists….Best buy is “Nice” on one list and “naughty” on the other.
Second, there are several stores listed on the “Nice” side of the ledger on both lists that are active supporters of all things LGBT and Pro-Abortion….CVS for example is a HUGE planned parenthood supporter, and Macy’s has gone overboard in its support for so-called “same sex marriage”.
I would recommend that you take these two lists, and compare them to the information found at 2nd Vote….I’ll not put a link in this comment, so that it doesn’t imply NCR support to the organization. But they are a good source for where a company stands on all things from Abortion, Marriage, 2nd Amendment, and Morality.
The key thing, and why this article is important, is the responsibility all of us have to be SMART about where we spend our money and who we support with our business.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL!!!

Posted by cthlc12345 on Wednesday, Dec, 6, 2017 4:42 PM (EST):

It’s good to see a list of where TO shop, instead of just the lists of places to avoid.

Posted by john on Wednesday, Dec, 6, 2017 3:55 PM (EST):

This just shows the shrillness and insecurity of those who have no real Christian faith. To suggest sensitivity to other religions is the equivalent of “hatred” of Christianity or Christmas sounds painfully desperate. Maybe the next time you’re walking down the street and someone says, “Happy Haunkkah” or “Blessed Ramadan” to you you will understand why civilized people, including those who are religious, make efforts for everyone to feel included.

Posted by Defender on Wednesday, Dec, 6, 2017 3:42 PM (EST):

Howe ‘nice’ can Hobby Lobby be when much of it merchandise is made in China at state owned factories where coercive abortion is used to maintain the nation’s family planning agenda.

Join the Discussion

We encourage a lively and honest discussion of our content. We ask that charity guide your words.
By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our discussion guidelines.
Comments are published at our discretion. We won't publish comments that lack charity, are off topic, or are more than 400 words.
Thank you for keeping this forum thoughtful and respectful.